INTRODUCTION
Few events have affected modern church history as greatly as the famous Azusa Street revival of 1900-1909, which ushered into being the worldwide twentieth-century Pentecostal renewal. The seventy-fifth anniversary of the Azusa Street revival was commemorated in 1981. There are estimates of the number of Pentecostals and Charismatics in the world that approach the 75,000,000 mark. That would mean that roughly 1,000,000 persons per year have accepted the premises of the Los Angeles Pentecost in the years since 1906.
"Indeed, in 1981 Pentecost has come to Rome itself as millions of Catholic Pentecostals rejoiced in the baptism in the Holy Spirit. In 1975 over 10,000 Catholics gathered in St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome to celebrate the Pentecost season. In a memorable service, these charismatics rejoiced as Pope Paul VI gave his endorsement to the movement. At the climax of that service thousands spoke and sang in other tongues."
"In 1978 a similar Pentecostal service was conducted in Canterbury Cathedral in England. About 2,000 Spirit-filled Anglicans and Episcopalians rejoiced in the Spirit as tongues and prophecies came forth in the venerable seat of the World Anglican Communion. Archbishop Coggin addressed the Conference and spoke in glowing terms of the renewal in England."
The LA Times report of April 18, 1906, was not so glowing in its report;
"Breathing strange utterances and mouthing a creed which it would seem no sane mortal could understand, the newest religious sect has started in Los Angeles. Meetings are held in a tumble-down shack on Azusa Street, near San Pedro Street, and devotees of the weird doctrine practice the most fanatical rites, preach the wildest theories and work themselves into a state of mad excitement in their peculiar zeal. Colored people and a sprinkling of whites compose the congregation, and night is made hideous in the neighborhood by the howlings of the worshippers who spend hours swaying forth and back in a nerve-racking [sic] attitude of prayer and supplication. They claim to have the "gift of tongues," and to be able to comprehend the babel."
A few months later, A Los Angeles newspaper (September 1906) described it in this way:
"Disgraceful intermingling of the races, they cry and make howling noises all day and into the night. They run, jump, shake all over, shout to the top of their voice, spin around in circles, fall out on the sawdust blanketed floor jerking, kicking and rolling all over it. Some of them pass out and do not move for hours as though they were dead. These people appear to be mad, mentally deranged or under a spell. They claim to be filled with the spirit. They have a one eyed, illiterate, Negro as their preacher who stays on his knees much of the time with his head hidden between the wooden milk crates. He doesn’t talk very much but at times he can be heard shouting Repent," and he’s supposed to be running the thing... They repeatedly sing the same song , ’The Comforter Has Come.’"
One Pentecostal historian writes: "Parham himself was an example of three other problems which would recur throughout Pentecostalist history: racism, authoritarianism, and sexual scandal. Also, one of the troubles with going by exciting experiences is that much of what went on was not thought through as thoroughly as was needed. So, not only were the glories of Pentecostalism born at Azusa, but also its most serious problems."
This experience or "revival" has shaped how most English speaking people read Acts chapter 2 and the references to speaking in tongues in the Bible. Let us resolve to get our views and convictions from the Bible.
Overview of Acts 2
2:1-13 - The Holy Spirit’s Coming
2:14-40 - The Holy Spirit’s Call
2:41-47 - The Holy Spirit’s Community
On Place of Acts: Tertullian said, "Those who do not accept this volume of scripture can have nothing to do with the Holy Spirit, for they cannot know if the Holy Spirit has yet been sent to the disciples, neither can they claim to be the church, since they cannot show when this bod was established or where it was cradled."
OUTLINE: The Holy Spirit’s Coming
1. PENTECOST IN HISTORY
2. PENTECOST IN PROPHECY
3. PENTECOST IN REALITY
PENTECOST IN HISTORY: ACTS 2:1-13
The Event
- NKJ Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 "And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 "Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 "Cretans and Arabs -- we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?" 13 Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine."
The Feast
Exo 34:22: the feast of weeks; 50 days after passover [pentecost]. It is also called the first fruits in Num 28:26. Pentecost was the anniversary of the giving of the Law by God to Moses at Mt. Sinai. What the Jews recognized as the anniversary of the giving of the Law on two tablets of stone at Mt. Sinai, is the very day that God chooses to pour out his Holy Spirit, turning sinful hearts of stone into living hearts of human flesh.
Fully Come: " When the Day of Pentecost had fully come" - Luke writes using a word, that only he uses, pregnant with expectation and redemptive significance: SUMPLEROOL. "The Day" definite article. E.g., NKJ Luke 9:51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,
Pentecost was a Calendar event that Paul continued to observe: NKJ Acts 20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost. NKJ 1 Corinthians 16:8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. Also, KJV Acts 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. [NKJ Acts 12:4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.]
Signs of the Spirit
AT Robertson notes that: Act 2:3 - Parting asunder (diamerizomenai). Present middle (or passive) participle of diamerizw, old verb, to cleave asunder, to cut in pieces as a butcher does meat (aorist passive in Lu 11:17f.). So middle here would mean, parting themselves asunder or distributing themselves. The passive voice would be "being distributed." The middle is probably correct and means that "the fire-like appearance presented itself at first, as it were, in a single body, and then suddenly parted in this direction and that; so that a portion of it rested on each of those present" (Hackett). The idea is not that each tongue was cloven, but each separate tongue looked like fire, not real fire, but looking like (w`sei, as if) fire. The audible sign is followed by a visible one (Knowling). "Fire had always been, with the Jews, the symbol of the Divine presence (cf. Ex 3:2; De 5:4). No symbol could be more fitting to express the Spirit’s purifying energy and refining energy" (Furneaux). The Baptist had predicted a baptizing by the Messiah in the Holy Spirit and in fire (Mt 3:11). It sat (ekaqisen). Singular verb here, though plural wpqhsan with tongues (glwssai). A tongue that looked like fire sat upon each one.
The Wind
Eze 37: 9 Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ’Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." ’ " 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
The Fire
Exo 1321 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.
The Word
The gift of tongues as presented by Luke, is not gibberish, but is instead a known language unknown to the speaker. The content of these inspired utterances were the "wonders of God," that is, Spirit-given divine commentaries on the true meaning OT. Pentecostals cannot claim Acts 2 as a pattern of Christian experience, and then substitute gibberish for these known languages. Christian theology and practice claimed must match the Biblical data, and that we cannot twist the Scripture and make the Bible conform to personal experience. Unfortunately, with the rise and popularity of Pentecostalism, one cannot treat this very important and exciting passage of Holy Scripture without a few qualifications.
Notice the pattern that emerges:
In Genesis 10:32, the terms "families" or "households" are semantically identical to nations: "These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood." These family-nations were further divided at Babel when separate languages came into existence.
Genesis 9-12: The Division of the Nations
Noah’s Household Saved in the Ark (Gen 9)
Table of Nations from Noah’s Family (Gen 10)
Division of Languages/Nations at Babel (Gen 11)
Blessing to "Families of the Earth" (through Abraham) (Gen 12)
Acts 1:8: The Salvation of the Nations
Blessing to "Families of the Earth" (through Abraham’s Unique "Seed")
Pentecost "Undoes" Babel and Empowers the Disciples
Expansion of Gospel to "All Nations"
Gentile Households Baptized
So, from the flood to Babel the division was made. But from Pentecost to the end of the age, the Kingdom advances with the power to undo the confusion of the nations by the Spirit’s power through the one-Word, gospel.
Tongues have a judgment function which is limited to the Transitional Generation of Israel.
1Co 14:20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 21 In the law it is written: "With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me," says the Lord. 22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
A loose quotation of Isa 11 [For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people.]
Each subsequent event of tongues has a unique purpose: the confrontation of the Jews.
O Palmer Roberts says: "Isaiah says that the ’tongues’ of foreigners will represent the arrival of God’s judgment for Israel. When the unrepentant nation hears men who have invaded their land speaking in foreign languages, they must recognise it as a sign that God has brought his judgment of an alien army on them. The army of the ’babbling Babylonians’ represents for Israel a return of the judgment that first brought the confusion of tongues at the tower of ’Babel’. But eighth-century Isaiah was not the first to speak of foreign languages as a sign of judgment for God’s people. As far back as the time of Moses, foreign tongues represented the arrival of God’s judgment. One of the most awesome passages in Scripture describes the curses of the covenant that would come to a disobedient Israel. Among these curses that were sure to fall on the covenant-breaker was the following:
The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose tongue you will not understand. (Deut. 28:49, NIV)
In this prophetic context dating back to the days of Moses, the significance of tongues is clear. Tongues serve as a sign that judgment has come for Israel. The threat of covenantal curses must be fulfilled because Israel will fail to hear the Word of God. This same message recurs once more a hundred and fifty years after Isaiah in the days of Jeremiah. From Moses to Isaiah to Jeremiah the significance of tongues for Old Testament prophecy is the same.
Jeremiah lived in the day of the Babylonian conquest of Palestine. The prophet anticipates the judgment that was to fall in his day:
’O House of Israel,’ declares the Lord, ’I am bringing a distant nation against you -- an ancient and enduring nation, a people whose tongue you do not know, whose speech you do not understand.’ (Jer. 5:15)
Once more tongues serve as a sign of covenantal judgment on a disobedient nation. When the ’babbling Babylonians’ invade Israel, speaking their strange dialect, then God’s covenant people will know that judgment has come on them.."
2. PENTECOST IN PROPHECY
Beyond the judgment quality of this passage, there is also the redemptive historical meaning.
Meridith Kline: "While the resurrection accounts in the gospels record the raising up of the temple of the new covenant in the sense that Jesus himself is that temple, it is beyond the gospels in the Book of Acts that the further [fulfillment] to the conclusion of the Book of Exodus is found. In the Pentecost-event Christ erects the temple of his church and the Holy Spirit fills the house of God (Acts 2:1 ff.)."
Pentecost was according to the promise of the new covenant, represented in the sign and seal of baptism: Matt. 3:11 Matt. 28:19 Mk. 1:8 Lk. 3:16 Jn. 1:33 Acts 1:5 Acts 2:38 Acts 10:47 Acts 11:16
The fullness of the Holy Spirit is promised through God’s covenant,
Gal 3:12 Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them." 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The prophet Isaiah has several passages which predict the pouring out of the Spirit:
Isa 32:15 Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest. 16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field. 17 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. 18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,
Isa 44:3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring; 4 They will spring up among the grass Like willows by the watercourses.’
Isa 59:19 So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. 20 " The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Says the LORD. 21 "As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and forevermore."
Ezekiel likewise predicts this:
25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 "Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
Eze 39:25 " Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ’Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name - 26 ’after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid. 27 ’When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, 28 ’then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer. 29 ’And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD."
Jeremiah also in the New Covenant prophecies of Jer 31 and 32.
Joel also: 2;6 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. 27 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame. 28 " And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. 29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 30 "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
32 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the LORD has said, Among the remnant whom the LORD calls.
And Zech 12: 9 "It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 " And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
3. PENTECOST IN REALITY: THE ONGOING SIGNIFICANCE
Charles Wesley (1762):
O Thou Who camest from above, The pure celestial fire to impart, Kindle a flame of sacred love Upon the mean altar of my heart.
There let it for Thy glory burn With inextinguishable blaze,
And trembling to its source return, In humble prayer and fervent praise.
The ongoing significance of Pentecost is seen in many facets of our faith:
The Temple of God: Jesus body is the true temple. Bringing together Jews and Gentiles as living stones (Eph 2, 1Pe 2). The Empowerment of the church, beginning with the 120 disciples, through the filling of the Spirit to witness to the nations. The Adoption of the Holy Spirit into the family of God so that we cry in our hearts Abba father. The Fruit of the Holy Spirit in character as we obey the revealed will of God by the power of the Spirit. And the Gifts of the Holy Spirit poured out on the church.
Pentecost is a once-for-all event unique in redemptive history. To demand that it be repeated in each Christian’s experience is to undercut the redemptive work of Christ applied by the Holy Spirit being given by Christ as a deposit, a guarantee, sealing us until ultimate redemption awaiting us at Christ’s return and the resurrection.
The experience of the filling of the Holy Spirit is in the NT a repeatable and enjoyed by believers. It is always linked in Scripture to a new understanding of the Word of God, or the means of grace (Word and Sacrament), and in the missionary enterprise. The Holy Spirit enables Christians to bear witnesses of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the end of the Earth. All Christians are baptized in the Spirit when they are united with Christ and his body (1Cor 12:13).
Applying Pentecost Today: The fruit or evidence of the Spirit, especially Love
Christopher Wordsworth (1862) penned this: Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost, Taught by Thee we covet most Of Thy gifts of Pentecost Holy, heavenly Love. Faith and Hope and Love we see Joining hand in hand agree; But the greatest of the three, And the best, is Love.
In conclusion, as Moses saw the glory of the Holy Spirit in the earthly temple, how much is God’s glory evident in the temple made without hands of "living stones." At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit indwelt the new temple, the church of the living God, and his glory is evident. Just as the Shekinah glory came down in the original temple, so now the more full Shekinah was poured out by our enthroned King at Pentecost. And we, as an expression of the body of Christ, participate in the reality of Pentecost. The risen and exalted Lord is in our midst through Word and Sacrament, and we are his temple. The gospel has gone out to the ends of the earth, and the curse at Babel is being reversed. Jesus Christ is extending his reign.
